Data Analyst & Reporting Officer
Introduction
This role promises to be rewarding for either someone with relevant MIS experience seeking a fresh challenge or a graduate with at least an introduction to this work and wanting the opportunity to be trained and developed to progress to a higher salary grade. Wherever your experience falls, you will be based at our historic campus where our world renowned University enjoys a long established history of preparing graduates for
managerial careers in the food, agriculture, land management, business and management and equine and real estate sectors.
Reporting to the Head of MIS, you will primarily be responsible for informing strategic and operational planning across the University by obtaining and analysing a range of data to enable monitoring and assessment of our performance against internal and external benchmarks.
This will involve taking the lead in producing reports such as the Estates Management Record (EMR), Institution Profile and Staff Record, for submission to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), as well as providing backup, and if necessary deputising for, the compilation of student data for submission to HESA and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).
Ideally with a relevant degree or equivalent, you will need to be numerate with strong analytical skills necessary to investigate and resolve data problems. Able to see the bigger picture and the wider implications of actions and outcomes, you are confident in
presenting supported conclusions to senior management, often working with minimal supervision and always meeting deadlines.
Also important will be excellent all round communication skills in liaising with colleagues and external contacts, with a flexible approach that may occasionally mean working out of hours to achieve objectives.
Application Procedure
Application forms for support staff roles are available from our website www.rau.ac.uk Please send completed application forms (attach CV for additional information if you wish) to Human Resources, Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, Glos, GL7 6JS or via email to [email protected]
Closing date for application forms is 5.00 pm 1st October with interviews on 8th October 2015.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job title: Data Analyst and Reporting Officer Department: Management Information Services
Salary Grade 5/6 : £20,781 -£24,775 / £24,057 - £28,695 pa Job Circumstances: Permanent, full time, 35 hours per week
Responsible to: Head of MIS
Relationships with: Colleagues, Staff, External Bodies such as HESA and HEFCE, Consultants
Purpose: To inform strategic and operational planning across the University by obtaining and analysing a range of information and data to enable monitoring and assessment of the University’s performance against internal and external benchmarks.
To take the lead in producing the Estates Management Record (EMR), Institution Profile and Staff Record, for submission to HESA.
To provide backup for, and if necessary deputise in, the compilation of the HESA and HESES student number returns.
Key Tasks:
1 To be the lead person compiling the HESA Estates Management Record for peer review by the Director of Estates prior to final sign off by the University
Executive in good time to meet the reporting deadlines. Specifically:
To monitor HESA publications and keep up to date with changes to the requirements of the EMR
To identify and define the data needed from other departments across the University to compile the EMR.
To liaise with other departments throughout the University to obtain the data necessary to compile the EMR. In addition to the Estates
Department, this includes Finance, HR, IT Services, Commercial Services, Registry, Schools and others.
To assess the data for accuracy and consistency, investigate anomalies and resolve issues where data is incomplete or inaccurate.
To arrange and manage an annual survey of all teaching space to gather frequency and occupancy data and to determine utilisation rates.
To analyse the data obtained in accordance with the requirements of the EMR.
To maintain accurate records of the raw data, the analysis and results and ensure an audit trail is maintained.
2 To be responsible for maintaining the University’s Space Allocation records, liaising with the Estates Manager to incorporate changes, such as new buildings, structural alterations, refurbishments and changes of use, and to provide
relevant data for other purposes as required. Specifically:
To ensure all space is categorised correctly in accordance with HESA definitions
To ensure consistency between the Space Allocation data and CAD drawings
To liaise with Estates Department staff over space measurements and updating the CAD drawings to reflect changes of use
To develop improvements in the database and move towards managing the data within Quemis
To provide space allocation data, analysed by department, to support the compilation of the TRAC return to HEFCE.
To provide space allocation data to support Capital Investment Fund (CIF) submissions and Sustainability Key Performance Indicators to HEFCE
To provide space allocation data for space utilisation modelling exercises using SPARSAM.
3 To be the lead person compiling the HESA Institution Profile for peer review by the Company Secretary, Director of Finance or Head of HR prior to final sign off by the University Executive, in good time to meet the reporting deadlines. Specifically:
To monitor HESA publications and keep up to date with changes to the requirements of the Institution Profile
To identify and define the data needed from other departments across the University to compile the Institution Profile.
To liaise with other departments throughout the University to obtain the data necessary to compile the Institution Profile. This will include
Finance, HR, MIS and others.
To assess the data for accuracy and consistency, investigate anomalies and resolve issues where data is incomplete or inconsistent.
To analyse the data obtained in accordance with the requirements of the Institution Profile.
To maintain accurate records of the raw data, the analysis and results and ensure an audit trail is maintained.
To generate the data file in the required format and submit it to HESA. 4 To monitor and assess, throughout the year, the quality of the staff data
required for input to the Staff Record, and other institutional returns to HESA (Institutional Profile and EMR) and ensure consistency between the various returns.
Specifically:
To monitor HESA publications and keep up to date with changes to the requirements for staff data in the various returns
To identify and investigate anomalies with HR staff and resolve issues where data is incomplete or inconsistent
To liaise with HR over updates to the software used to generate the Staff Record for submission to HESA
5 To provide backup in, and if necessary deputise in, the complication of the HESES and HESA student number returns for peer review by the Academic Registrar prior to final sign off by the University Executive in good time to meet the reporting deadlines
Specifically, to assist in:
The monitoring throughout the year the quality of the data required for the HESE and HESA returns
Identifying and resolving any issues found with internal University departments
The testing of updates to externally supplied returns software module and the resolution of any issues found with the relevant third-party supplier 6 To create, and keep updated, detailed instructions on completion of the EMR and Institution Profile; to be cross trained on the production of other returns and reports for internal and external purposes and to provide back-up and assistance as necessary.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Criteria Essential Desirable
Qualifications Degree in science, maths
or related subject Skills Numerate with strong analytical skills
Ability to investigate and resolve data problems
Understand the bigger picture and the wider implications of actions and outcomes
Able to present supported conclusions Highly computer literate with good knowledge of Word and Excel
Able to create complex linked spreadsheets and maintain good audit trails Understanding of
databases, Information Management and the use of Management
Information
Previous experience
Experience of working with minimal supervision to deliver timely and accurate work
Experience of analytical work and reporting the outcomes to senior management
Person
qualities
Able to communicate with colleagues at all levels and from different disciplines as well as external agencies
An enthusiastic team member able to work collaboratively to deliver results on time in a pressurised environment
A professional, with a task (not time) orientated approach
A strong commitment to accuracy Sound administrative planning and organisational skills
Special
requirements
Must be flexible and able to work late if needed to meet reporting deadlines
